Go Vermont! Small but mighty....

Hmmm....let's see what I can make from this big ball?

Boy it has been a busy summer this year! Between family coming and going out of town, me working on quilt deadlines and somewhere in between I need to get x-mas wish lists shoved in there somewhere. I am sure some can relate.

I would like to tell you about my adventure to Vermont, known for it's Maple sugar and flavored Cheeses. It was my first trip and I learned a lot about this little state. First let me tell you it was the only state that I have been in where at any given 10 to 40 minute drive you are crossing the border into Mass., Conn., New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York and back again it was great! Everyday was and adventure and I couldn't tell you what state we were in from day to day. We visited the Old Yankee Candle Co, Clark's Trading Post in the mountains where they stash black bears and I learned if you bride them with scoops of ice cream they will they perform for you, and if you brush them you can spin their fiber into gloves and yarn.....true story I have to picture to prove it! I got to visit the Dorr Mill Store (chatted with the ladies about wool and such) and various yarn shops around the area. The most exciting was the visit to Green Mountain Spinnery Mill where they showed us exactly how they make organic yarn from local sheep farmers. Awesome, this experience I will never forget. This state is totally supported by it's farmers, produce, and locals....this is a good thing! I have never seen such support. You go into a store, you are sure to see nothing but Vermont grown stuff! They are small but mighty! Go Vermont!


Clark's Trading Post
Black Bear Fiber used for hats and mittens! Didn't I tell you?


Local Quilter made this quilt.


All that ice cream has made me tired in this heat!


Yarn Spun by Locals

Well I am out to finish my project for a September deadline, I must get better at this blogging...promise! Later T

Isn't It Funny How People Come.........

I went to my guild meeting this past Monday and a nice man by the name of Ben Hollingsworth-bHollyArt, Art Quilter and fabric dyer amoung other things was there to present his work to our guild. What wonderful quilt examples and techniques he had to show.

Isn't it funny how people come into your life unexpectedly and without even knowing he helped me, he answered some simple questions I had regarding some techniques that I can now apply to my own work. This is what I enjoy, people who don't mind spreading the knowledge, this is what karma is all about. Even though he was modest, he was a wealth of information and who knows how many other women he sparked in my guild to get thier creative bug burning! Please believe you will be blessed Ben.



I would love to talk about my quilt banner. Some may wonder if I made the quilt behind it, the answer is yes, the top was completely painted with fabric paints, and then free motioned quilted. It was my first attempt to test the waters, I really loved the way it came out. Since I love primitives, I had to incorporate that theme some sort of way in a quilt. It looks much better in person.

Heres a sneak peak at another one I started.



....and my fish! It was actually embellished with beads, how fun!



Enjoy! Happy Quilting T

Found Treasure....

I went on an adventure this past weekend to a local flea market in the area and found these two quilts hidden at the bottom of a basket under a table. The man who sold them to me said that his mother made them, not sure of the date and they were just sitting around and he decided to sale them at the market. He told me his kids didn't have an interest in the heirlooms or the value of such items so he decided to sale them. I guess both are about 50"x50" a nice size for a lap quilt. Guess how much he gave them to me for? Guess! Guess! $10 each, yes, and they are both hand quilted from beginning to the end. A little tattered, but I love them both.

I once bought an very old quilt from an antique market and it was really torn, I figured at the cheap price I got it for I could chop it up and make something from it. Well, I threw that thing into the washer and made it worse of course, batting was all over the place, but not that bad. I folded the quilt up and then one day I was kind of chilly and decided since I hadn't made anything with it yet I would just throw it over me.......Well that quilt was the warmest thing I have ever been under! No kidding. It is warmer then some of the ones I have made that are modern. Needless to say, it is the ugliest thing, just simple 4 patch squares of various fabrics and my mother talks bad about my quilt until she got under it one day as well. LOL That quilt stays at the edge of my bed protected with love. I my point here is, never under estimate the beauty of an ugly duckling. LOL

Have a great day T

Stitches Midwest 2010

Ok, one of my guild members sends me this email about a conference that will be in town and that I really should go. Anything with quilting, fiber, textiles or yarn you can count me in. Soooo, this conference finally gets here, mom and I set out for our adventure and I was totally stunned at how many vendors there were anddddddd how many I knew and didn't even know it! I was in yarn and pattern heaven, literally. All the gorgeous designs stitched in all that lovely yarn. My only regret was that I didn't go all three days! LOL Apparently this was the second year here in Atlanta and they will be back next year. I found some wonderful pattern books and other goodies. So if you are in the area next year and you are a fiber addict, be sure to check it out you will love it. You can best believe I will be there.


PROJECT UPDATES:


Almost done with the wall quilt. I just have one more side to bind then it can go onto the wall then on to the next UFO.



Note to self: When working with Pebbles, relax, breath,and sew! It's almost completed. I have it all marked up with blue water soluble pen right now, but when I get done it will look....gorge-e-muss!

Happy Crafting T

Cotton in the dryer? Yep!

It was a wonderful day for dyeing. The sun was bright, still a bit chilly, but all the same it was sunny which can put anyone in a good mood.

I love to play around with dyeing and wanted to try my hand at yet another technique. I actually got a more consistent color dyeing the yarn in cups in small amounts of 120 yard lenghs. I just hate the wait...it drives me crazy because I want to see the end results. But I patiently waited, just walk away, just walk away I had to tell myself. Two hours later and many rinses later.... I had the colors in the yarn, now I had to wait for this stuff to dry! Are you kidding me, LORD! More waiting? OK, I couldn't wait any longer and just had to see what this stuff was going to look like dry....I threw all that cotton in the dryer! LOL....yep, right into the dryer! LOL It came out fluffy and wonderful! I spun that yarn around my yarn winder and it was perfect.

So what do you think? Hope you like it.

Happy Crafting! T

The Sewing Expo Update is in....

I had a blast this weekend. The Expo was packed with tons of ladies buying lots and lots of items. Of course I ran into about four of my guild members enjoying the Expo as well. There was a small wall section of "invitation" only quilters and the only one I recognized was Laura Wasiloski. She is well known for her fusing quilts. The others quilts were nice and a breath of inspiration as well. I would have pictures but was threatened not to take them from all the signs around.

Back to the booths....on a quest to see what new sewing machines there were, I stopped in all the major ones at the show. They all were mainly selling their embroidery machines, geez! I only need a basic! But, what I did find interesting was this serger by Baby Lock. It was awesome. For those who have dinosaurs, and I am talking back in the late 80's possibly, the darn thing is a pain to thread the two bottom threads the whole nine yards. This one I looked at, you stick the two bottom threads into two separate holes each and push this lever and BAM! your bottom needles are threaded by a force of air. It was amazing! I was like "I have to have one", then she told me the cost was $799 and that was the show special....I was floored. My dream crushed and stomped on right there in the Baby lock booth! Oh well so much for a dream! I observed slow booths and some were busier then ever. My favorite booth to venture every time I visit is the Vogue Fabrics booth. They always have an array of high quality fabrics for great prices as well as discounted quilting books, threads, patterns and other items. They always have a good quality Linen, so of course I had to get some more for my collection as wel as purchased some wool roving.

Hopefully those who travel from a far and near enjoyed their time this past weekend and look forward to seeing you next year! Signing out T

SOOOoooo Excited!

For those who live in the greater Atlanta area, this weekend is the Sewing & Quilt Expo March 11-13th and you guessed it, I will be front and center this weekend. I think it is an addiction for those who love to sew. There will be vendors galore and I can't wait to see the new items that are available for sewers this year. I really would love to get a (yet another!)sewing machine, and I keep threatening my Janome which is just a basic machine I use for sewing simple things that I am going to get rid of him if he doesn't stop eating the edges of my fabric. But then he stops and starts behaving like he should. Some of the machines that I have seen are really out of my price range, but I guess it is what you want to do with your machine that counts. I also think it is really what you make of your machine. I just haven't justified having to buy a embroidery machine that costs in the thousands of dollar range. But I have seen wonderful stuff out there. Again, it's what you want to do with it.

Well I am off to be productive and hope you are doing the same. Stay posted, I will have pictures of my adventures this weekend.